


Lose This Number

by bagelbitch666



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Abortion? Idk if I should tag that or not, F/M, I APOLOGIZE, Modern AU, So much angst, Songfic, just in case lmao, mai and zuko are technically together but this is def not a maiko fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:21:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24713773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bagelbitch666/pseuds/bagelbitch666
Summary: Zuko sees Katara's name in the paper when she wins an award for her medical research. He proceeds to dwell on what could have been after six years apart.
Relationships: Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 80





	1. Lose This Number

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hey, I haven’t written fanfiction in literal years but I recently rewatched atla and have fallen in love with this song by Christian Lee Hutson and thought that it fit the zuko/katara angst so well lol. Therefore this fic was born. I’m honestly really nervous about posting work bc I haven’t in a long ass time but I hope that this is satisfying for someone :) also don’t hate on me for being zutara trash I’ve been shipping this since the show was on lmao

_“Bobby helped me track you down 'cause_

_I just saw your name in the paper”_

At the rise of the sun, he woke, leaving behind his girlfriend. Zuko went through his morning routine as usual. Shower, brushing his teeth, throwing on some work clothes.

When he exited the bathroom, Mai still laid on the bed, curled up around a pillow that took his place. Not wanting to disturb her, he left.

His walk to work was the same every day. The city was still mostly asleep at this hour and he liked it that way. He hated living here, but his job at his father’s firm was based here and Mai loved being able to blend into the crowds. He knew the hustle and bustle of the city kept her from getting bored as she often was. Besides, leaving this early gave him time to grab a bite and read the paper. The tea shop he frequented before work had a stand for the times waiting for him outside the door.

Depositing money, he took his paper. He ordered his usual, a jasmine tea and a croissant, and took his spot by the window. Zuko flipped through the pages reading sections aimlessly. He read the paper to occupy his time more than he did it to actually know the goings-on of the world. He stopped skimming when he saw a picture of her.

 _Medical student wins award for work in ground-breaking cancer research_ , it read. He scanned the blurb under her picture carefully before setting the paper down. Zuko abandoned it on the table, leaving the shop with his half-finished tea.

She was here and he lived only a short subway ride away from the teaching hospital she was working at.

\---

The rest of his day was spent thinking of a way to contact her. He lost her number years ago and he didn’t know the first thing about social media. He had the secretary cancel his meetings for the rest of the day, unable to focus. He spent his lunch flipping through contacts in his phone to find one that could direct him to her’s.

He finally found Sokka saved under a boomerang emoji and immediately sent him a text.

 _Hey, it’s Zuko. Saw Katara’s name in the paper this morning. Could you send me her number so I can congratulate her?_ He almost left it at that, but didn’t want to reach out to an old friend without asking him anything about himself. _Hope you’re doing well._ He added before pressing send, a jolt of anxiety running through him.

\---

_“That night you shook me, but I wasn't sleeping_

_You were afraid of the thunder_

_Asked me to come in the bedroom_

_Pulled me under the covers”_

Their relationship started sometime in the summer before his senior year of college.

Katara crashed on the couch in her brother’s apartment that he shared with Zuko. She was doing an internship at the local hospital in their college town to avoid having to go home for the summer, and he was interning at a law office in town to avoid working for his father back in the city. With Sokka gone most nights to Suki’s house, they found themselves hanging out after long days of unpaid work.

One night after movies and pizza, he found her passed out on one side of the couch, her feet in his lap. Thunder clapped from outside, and he found himself drifting off. She woke suddenly, practically kicking him as a loud clap sounded in the distance. She shook him lightly, blue eyes shining in the moonlight, but he was already awake.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, pulling himself out of his light slumber.

“I hate thunder.” she said simply, retracting her hand from his knee.

“Me too. Wanna sleep in my room?”

She looked at him confused. “With you?”

“Yeah, there’s less windows in there. And it’s gotta suck sleeping on the couch all the time.” he paused for a second, realizing why she’d asked. “I can always sleep on the floor.”

“No, that’s okay.” He nodded and stood up, holding out a hand to her. She grabbed it, pulling herself up. They stood there, chest to chest for a moment. He could feel her eyes burning into his own. Before he could do anything to protest, she grabbed onto the back of his neck, pulling him down to her and kissing him softly. She pulled away, biting the inside of her cheek. “Thank you, Zuko.”

He just stared at her, nodding. “Let’s go.” She whispered, still holding onto his hand. He led her to his room, dumbfounded.

She pulled off her leggings before climbing into the bed. He removed his shirt and followed her, both of them settling on opposite sides.

When they woke the next morning, she was cuddled up to his side and his arm was draped around her shoulder, pulling her into him. With a newfound confidence, he smiled down at her and kissed her forehead. Looking up to meet his gaze, she leaned up and they kissed again, sunlight beaming in the small window above the bed.

\---

Sokka replied later that afternoon. He hadn’t seen his friend since he moved to the city after graduation. It’d been almost five years now. He sent along Katara’s contact info and a cheery inquiry as to how he was doing in the big city after all this time. Apparently, he’d proposed to Suki a few months back and was planning on hitting him up so he could send him a wedding invitation.

They went back and forth for a while, Zuko telling him vaguely about Mai and how he’d been made a partner at his father’s firm. It was refreshing to talk to an old friend and Zuko mentally kicked himself for not reaching out sooner. It wasn’t until he arrived home after work that he remembered why he’d contacted Sokka to begin with.

Mai had takeout waiting for him, though, so he put off texting her until later. She kissed him on the cheek when he stepped through the door, shooting him a rare smile. “You could’ve woken me up this morning before you left. I didn’t even hear you.”

“I wanted to let you sleep.” he said, trying his best to return her smile genuinely.

\---

_“You said, ’Of course that reminded you of me_

_Don't you know that's how a name works?’_ ”

He found himself unable to word a text to her so he called instead, waiting until Mai stepped out to meet up with her friend Ty Lee for drinks down the street. He got her voicemail and was glad that it was automated. He wasn’t sure how hearing her voice would make him feel. He wondered how it had changed in the six years or so since he’d last heard it.

“Hi, it’s Zuko. Sokka gave me your number. I, uh, saw your name in the paper this morning and it reminded me of you so I figured I’d give you a call to congratulate you. Um, sorry if this is awkward, I just- I thought it’d be nice to hear from you. Uh, call me back I guess? Or don’t, that’s okay too. Bye.” he hung up the phone and sunk into the couch in embarrassment. He sat there for a while, lost in thought.

Then, his phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Zuko?” It was her. Her voice hadn’t changed at all. It still sounded as familiar as it did before.

“Yeah, Katara?”

“Yeah.” She said, almost exasperated.

He felt guilt creep up in his chest again. “How are you?”

She ignored him. “Don’t you know that’s how a name works?”

“What?”

“You said you saw my name in the paper and it reminded you of me. Isn’t that how a name works?”

He put his hand to his face, feeling unbearably awkward. “Yeah, sorry. I shouldn’t have called, I really just wanted to congratulate you on your award.”

“It’s okay. And thank you, I appreciate it.” she paused taking a breath. “I heard you were in the city too, did you want to catch up sometime?”

He sighed, “Yeah, I’d like that. I know a great tea shop that’s not far from the hospital you’re at.”

“How did you know where I work?” her voice was standoffish. It was like she was looking for a reason not to trust him.

“It was in the paper. I promise I didn’t stalk you.” He smiled into the phone.

“Oh. Yeah, just text me. I’m off this saturday if you’re free.”

“That sounds great.”

“Goodbye, Zuko.”

“Bye, Katara.” She hung up.

\---

_“It's like I was born on the back of a bullet_

_With your name written on it_

_This city will probably kill me_

_It's the only thing keeping me honest”_

She slept over more often after that night, no longer taking refuge on the couch. He’d head to the hospital after his internship ended for the day to pick her up and they’d spend the evenings together.

Sokka didn’t have a clue that she’d been staying in Zuko’s room until he found a pair of her scrub pants in Zuko’s laundry. There was a week where he thought that Sokka would never speak to him again before Katara forced them to talk, emphasizing that she could sleep with whoever she wanted and it was no reason for her brother and his best friend to stop talking.

They spent the majority of their time stealing kisses from each other in the hours before the rest of the world woke up and by the time summer was coming to an end he’d lost track of the amount of times they’d fucked. They never made the relationship official, they knew that she’d be going back to her own college town soon enough and figured that not defining the relationship would make it hurt less when she left.

Everything changed in late August. Two weeks before they were supposed to go back to school.

“I’m pregnant.” she whispered as they laid in his bed.

He shot up, turning to look at her. “You’re sure?” he asked, shock evident in his voice. All she could do was nod. “What do you want to do?” He had no idea what else to say.

He watched as tears rolled down her cheeks, silently, “I can’t keep it. There’s no way that can work. Not now. I just figured I should tell you before I did anything. You deserve to know.” Zuko wanted to argue with her, but deep down he knew that she was right. It wouldn’t work.

“Okay. I can go with you, if you need me to.”

“No, I can do it on my own.”

A pang of guilt rang out in his chest. “You don’t have to.”

She stood and pulled on a shirt. “I think we should stop seeing each other.”

“What? Why? I- Katara I care about you, you know that.” he took a deep breath, trying to hold onto the emotions that felt like they were about to spill out of him. “We still have two more weeks left.”

She just dressed herself stoically, refusing to look at him. “I’m going home tomorrow. I already spoke to my boss. Sokka doesn’t know why I’m going so you don’t need to worry about him being angry with you again, but I can’t stay here anymore. We’ve gotten way too… attached.” She went for the door.

“Katara, please.” He wanted to get up to stop her from leaving but couldn’t get his legs to move.

“Goodbye, Zuko.” And then she was gone. And he did nothing to stop her.

\---

_“I want to crawl into this daydream I'm having_

_And live here forever_

_Confetti blowing into the ocean_

_Three of us finally together_

_Where the whole time I've just been asleep here_

_Twenty years younger_

_Smell of sugar and seaweed_

_Indian summer”_

Zuko spent the next three days daydreaming about what his life might have been like. He thought of the child they shared that had never been born. He wondered how different his days would be spent.

He found himself staring at Mai’s back as she slept beside him, willing her into the image of the blue eyed girl that used to occupy that same mattress. He could almost smell the sugar and seaweed that used to linger on his pillows long after she left.

On his walks to work, he imagined living in a suburb somewhere outside the city, dropping his kid off at school on his way instead. He imagined the child to be a girl with his hair and Katara’s eyes, her tan skin. He saw her in almost every child he saw, almost willing her into existence in his mind.

When he ate with Mai he thought of the three of them together at the dinner table, a daughter, his daughter telling them how her day went at school, Katara smiling and offering advice.

He couldn’t keep himself from imagining a future he always knew he wanted but couldn’t see himself having with Mai. She’d never shown an interest in getting married or having kids. She enjoyed being a socialite, preferred shopping and going to bars with her friends over taking care of a kid. He couldn’t fault her for it, and it didn’t mean that he didn’t care for her. He wouldn’t have spent the last few years with her if he didn’t.

Zuko just wasn’t sure if that was what he wanted anymore.

\---

_“I know you don't have to forgive me_

_Hell, you probably shouldn't_

_I got scared and I took off_

_I wanted to try but I couldn't"_

She waited for him at the tea shop, a cup of ginseng steaming on the table in front of her. He saw her sitting when he walked in and felt the guilt creep up on him again. He didn’t feel any more prepared to see her than he had after she’d suggested meeting up the other day. He gave her a small wave before heading up to the counter to order.

He returned a few minutes later, taking a seat across from her. He sipped the tea immediately, ignoring the burning sensation that coated his mouth and throat.

“I never understood how you could drink your tea steaming hot.” she said with a smirk, taking him in.

“I never understood how you have to let yours go cold before you even sip it.” he quipped back.

“How are you, Zuko?”

“I’m alright. How long have you been in the city?”

“About a year.” She hesitated before continuing, “I hate it.”

“That’s something we have in common.” he chuckled, sipping his tea again.

“I would’ve thought that you liked it here. Sokka told me that you’ve been here since you graduated.”

“You talked to Sokka?”

“Yeah, he’s my brother. I talk to him often.”

He sighed, tensing up in embarrassment. He had no idea what made him so awkward with her. “Right. That makes sense.” He decided to direct the conversation away from his stupidity, “Anyway, congrats again. Not that it means anything, but I’m really proud of you.”

“Thanks. I should be done with my residency after this year. Then I can really start focusing on continuing my research.”

“That’s awesome. I always knew you’d do great. Even when you were still pre-med.”

She just smirked, “Yeah, well how’s it been post-law? Sokka mentioned that you’re still at your father’s firm.”

Zuko nodded, “He made me a partner last year so I’ve been taking on bigger cases lately. Can’t say I love corporate law but the pay is good.”

“Mmm.” She hummed, finally allowing herself to sip her tea. “So, why did you actually call me?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, eyes wide.

“Look, we have history. I get that. But, really it was only a summer fling and it was six years ago.”

“It was a little more than a fling…”

“Yeah, okay. So shit went down and you knocked me up. It’s done with. If you’re looking to reconnect, it's not going to happen.”

“Well, I have a girlfriend. I wasn’t trying to rekindle our relationship exactly. I just, seeing you in the paper, it got me thinking about what my life might’ve been like. And I kind of liked it if I’m being honest.” he stammered, trying to rationalize himself to her.

Katara just frowned, “Zuko, I might have loved you at some point when I was what, like 20? But it’s been a long time and thinking about the way things might’ve been isn’t going to do anything for you or me. I got the abortion and moved on with my life. You should move on too.”

“I did! Or, I thought I did. I really thought that I meant something to you. You definitely meant something to me. If it weren’t for the timing, I would’ve wanted that kid.”

“Well, timing is everything. We didn’t have it.”

“So that’s it?”

“I thought you had a girlfriend.”

“I do, that’s not the point!”

“Then the point is that you’re not happy in your relationship and you think that fucking me will make it better?” She scoffed, “Sorry, Zuko, that’s not how that works.”

“I wasn’t- I didn’t come here to get in your pants, Katara. I wanted to see if I spent three years wishing you’d come back for no reason. Did you ever think that you ditching me might’ve hurt?”

She softened slightly, “You didn’t exactly try to stop me from leaving.”

“I didn’t think you wanted me to! It seemed like you’d made up your mind at that point. I didn’t have much of a choice.”

“Look, you don’t have to forgive me. Hell, you probably shouldn’t. But, you had every chance to tell me how you felt and you never did. I was 20 years old and trying to make a life for myself. I figured sticking around and having a baby with my brother’s roommate wasn’t going to do me much good.”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve told you how I felt. I thought you knew.”

“Zuko, I think we should leave it here. I’m sorry that things didn’t work out in our favor. It was nice seeing you.” She stood scooping up her tea, “Have a nice life, I mean it.”

He sighed looking up into her eyes. “You too.” Without looking back, she left. Not wanting to have an emotional breakdown in the tea shop he left too.

\---

By the time he got back to his apartment, he had a new text from Katara.

_Do me a favor, lose this number._

_“Listen,_

_Lose this number,_

_Lose this number”_


	2. Rehearsal Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm glad that you guys liked the first chapter! I appreciate the comments and it honestly warms my heart getting any at all. Im not used to putting my work out there and the encouragement really motivated me in writing this second chapter. I was going to write the whole wedding in just this chapter but it was starting to get long and I figured it'd be easier to break it up a little. Anyway, enjoy! I can't say this one is any less angsty, but I think you'll be happier with how I ended it. Thanks for reading!

Zuko woke, Mai’s arm draped lightly over his chest. He carefully removed it, placing it on the pillow next to his head. She stirred quietly, turning on her other side. He used the opportunity of her movement to ease himself out of bed.

He wasn’t in his apartment, the shock of the unfamiliar room jarring him as he made his way to the bathroom. No, his and Mai’s bedroom was much darker than the stark white of this hotel room.

  
Turning on the shower and letting the strange water pressure overwhelm him he thought about the rehearsal dinner he’d be attending later that night. Thought about the woman he knew would be in the wedding party. He remembered that he didn’t want to think about her and tried to focus on the water pounding heavily against his back.

As he stood under the water, the door creaked open and Mai peeked her head in, “Mind if I join you?” she asked, voice dull but inviting all the same.

He nodded, and she entered. They took turns sharing the water, him moving quicker than she did. She moved to rub some soap on his back as he rubbed shampoo in his har. He wondered when they reached this level of comfortable intimacy with each other. It had been a long three years since she’d moved in with him and they had gotten more than used to going about their daily lives together, almost codependent on the routine of the other person.

Even in the hotel room, she reminded him that she was just as much a part of his idea of home as the walls of their bedroom.

She was applying more product to her hair when he stepped out of the shower, grabbing a soft white towel and drying off. He might not love her the way he did when he had first met her, but Mai still held a spot in his heart based simply on her part in allowing him to move forward. She had at one time been a beacon of hope that he could find companionship in someone besides the blue-eyed girl that left him.

“You wanna grab some breakfast?” She asked, rinsing her hair under the showerhead. 

“Yeah. Sounds good.”

\---

Katara knew he was coming. Sokka had mentioned it enthusiastically almost six months ago. She had suspected as much after their talk in the tea shop. She knew that he had been in contact with her brother and she remembered how close they were in their time as roommates. Knowing her brother, he was planning to reach out before Zuko did. She wasn’t particularly looking forward to seeing him again. She was okay with telling him to lose her number, not wanting to deal with the feelings that he dredged up within her.

She also knew that he had brought the girlfriend he mentioned as his plus one. He might’ve been unhappy with her, but it was clear that he wasn’t willing to part with her after her dismissal of him. She didn’t want to think about how he was probably a few floors away from her right now.

She no longer thought fondly of the time they’d spent together before the incident and didn’t like to be reminded of it. And she wasn’t insane for not wanting to think about one of the hardest decisions she’d ever had to make in her life. She didn’t pine for him, didn’t think of him, just lumped him in with the worst two weeks of her life and tried her best to push him and those feelings into the tiniest space in the back of her mind. 

Besides, this wedding wasn’t supposed to be about Zuko. It was about her brother and her future sister-in-law. She adored them both, even if Sokka was the most annoying and over-protective person she knew, she cared for him more than any other person in her life.

The event would be missing the only person she’d ever loved more than Sokka, though. And the lack of her presence was painful. Her mother had passed when she was only eight and the hole that left in her life was overbearing. It was why she’d been so focused on her research and why she knew that she had to see it through. Cancer had taken her mother from her and she wouldn’t stop until she could find a way to help others. 

The ring she wore on a chain around her neck was her mother’s own engagement ring. It was passed down from her Gran-Gran to her mother and then given to her as a keepsake. Sokka was given the wedding ring and it would belong to Suki after tomorrow. She wore it proudly in remembrance.

As she focused on wrapping Suki’s hair into an elegant braid, she pushed Zuko even further out of her head. However, she failed to hide the frown that indicated her thoughts. Suki noticed.

“What’s wrong, Katara? Are you nervous?” she asked gently. Katara wiped the frown away, replacing it with a soft smile.

“I’m fine. Shouldn’t you be the one that’s nervous?” she tried redirecting Suki’s attention, going back to pulling her hair in loops.

Suki’s face stayed contorted in concern, however, “No, it’s just the rehearsal dinner, I’m way more nervous about tomorrow.” She winced slightly as Katara pulled near her scalp. “Are you sure nothing’s bothering you? You can talk to me, we’re basically sisters now.”

“It’s nothing, I’m just- I’m missing my mom a little. I wish she could be here.” She smiled remembering the way her mother had done her hair similarly as a child. She wasn’t interested in talking about the other thoughts that rang around in her head. Not now, she wouldn’t burden Suki with her traumas, not today.

“I really wish I could’ve met her.” Suki smiled softly, reaching a hand up to grab Katara’s, holding it gently. “I know how badly you and Sokka must be missing her in times like these.”

“I wish you could’ve met her too.” Katara wiped a tear from her eye, squeezing Suki’s hand back. “She would have loved you, Suki.”

“Thank you, Katara.”

It was times like these that she liked Suki the best. It was comforting to have a female figure in her life again. Someone to talk to that wasn’t her brother or her father. Of course she had other female friends, her best friend Toph, for example. But Suki had been in her life for so long now that she had accepted her as a sister long before Sokka had proposed to her. She was the only person Katara had told about her pregnancy, although it was years after the fact and as far as she knew, Suki had never figured out that Zuko had anything to do with it.

She went back to braiding, the ache in her heart persisting no matter how hard she tried to fight it off.

\---

The dinner was lovely, greens and blues enveloping the ballroom of the hotel. Katara sat at the head table with the rest of the wedding party. She was the maid of honor only because Suki hadn’t allowed her to be Sokka’s best man. She figured it would be better. Instead, her brother’s friend, Aang, occupied that spot. 

He was an agreeable guy, kind and fun-loving. He’d definitely had a crush on her at one point, but she had let him down gently, explaining that she hadn’t been interested in dating much while she was working on furthering her career. She hadn’t mentioned that she just didn’t see him in that way and didn’t think that they were compatible. He was disappointed and she had a feeling he hadn’t let go of the crush completely, but she did her best to avoid his glances.

Of course she had dated a bit after Zuko, it had been six years. But she never let anything go long-term, preferring to focus on her studies and then her residency and her research. She figured she’d find someone eventually, she just hadn’t yet. And that was alright with Katara.

She was almost glad that Zuko hadn’t kept in close contact with her brother after they’d both left school. She didn’t have to worry about running into him and that helped her keep her mind off of him all these years. She didn’t have to be reminded of him if he wasn’t around. 

However, she spotted him as soon as he walked into the room. A thin black haired woman arrived on his arm as well and she caught herself staring at the woman repeatedly throughout the dinner. She was pretty, demure, and Zuko seemed to find comfort in her that she could only attribute to a close relationship. He hadn’t mentioned how long they’d been together when they’d talked, but from what she was seeing it had to have been a decent amount of time. He chatted to her easily, like they had known each other for years and a pang of jealousy wracked her mind. 

She shouldn’t be jealous of his girlfriend, especially at her brother’s rehearsal dinner, but she was unable to redirect her attention away from the two. And what frustrated her more was that Zuko hadn’t so much as glanced in her direction. Suki finally smacked her out of her trance, tapping her on the arm.

“It’s time for your dad’s toast.” She whispered and Katara directed her attention to the table her family sat at, her father standing.

\---

“So, who do you know in the wedding party?” Mai asked quietly as Zuko speared his fork into the chicken on his plate. She was obviously bored, he knew she’d never ask out of anything other than entertainment or politeness.

“Well, obviously there’s Sokka and Suki. I met the best man once or twice when I lived with Sokka. They knew each other from their hometown, he came up to visit a couple of times.” Zuko paused examining the rest of Sokka’s groomsmen. He recognized a few faces from their college years and others he didn’t recognize at all. “Haru was one of our friends from school, too. He’s at the end of the table. I recognize a few more but I couldn’t tell you their names.”

Mai seemed satisfied with this. He had forgotten that she didn’t know anyone from his college years. Once he moved to the city he lost contact with most of them by the time he’d met her. However, her friend Ty Lee was a bridesmaid, having known Suki from high school. He hadn’t known that before the wedding, though.

“So, I know Ty Lee obviously, but do you know any of the other bridesmaids? She was prattling on about the maid of honor the other day, but I don’t remember much of it.” he gave her a look, “What? You know how hard it is to stay focused when she drones on like that.”

He just chuckled. He knew Ty Lee could always border on annoying, that’s why he never went with Mai when they’d meet up for drinks. That, and he liked his alone time when Mai would leave the apartment. Ty Lee was someone he had to take in small doses.

“The maid of honor is Sokka’s sister.” He hadn’t stopped to elaborate on her, not even sparing her a glance, instead moving onto the next person. “I’ve definitely met some of the others but it was usually at parties. I never really got to know them personally.”

“Interesting.” Mai stated, pushing her fork around her plate. She was anything but interested, however, from the tone of her voice. Zuko had gotten used to her monotone way of speaking, but it was the one thing that always bothered him. He could never tell how she was truly reacting to anything and extremely hard to pinpoint her emotions. Of course, when she was angry, he knew it, but other subtleties that might be given off were lost in her perpetually bored tone. “Do you know the maid of honor personally? She keeps looking over here.”

He didn’t dare turn to look, instead turned to look at Mai. “She stayed with us at the apartment one summer for an internship. I haven’t talked to her in years, though.” he lied, trying to ignore Katara’s gaze.

“Oh, okay.” Mai didn’t let anything beyond general dismissal show through her words, but Zuko knew that she wasn’t satisfied with his response. He wasn’t particularly satisfied with the situation, either. 

\---

The rest of the dinner went by without incident. Katara stopped staring at Zuko and his girlfriend after she caught the girlfriend’s eye. She didn’t want to have a reason to talk to him and she knew she was staring in their direction more than she should have, anyway.

Eventually they made their way up to the head table, regardless. They approached Sokka and Suki, Zuko still refusing to acknowledge her presence. The girlfriend hung behind a few steps, allowing him to lead the way.

Sokka stood wrapping his friend in a hug, Suki standing to join them. “Hey buddy, long time no see!”

Zuko smiled, hugging Sokka back before pulling back. “Congratulations, you guys.” Suki smiled.

“Thanks, man. So, who’s the plus one?”

The girlfriend moved a little closer, offering a small smile. “This is Mai. Mai, Sokka and Suki.”

She nodded politely, but said nothing.

Suki spoke, “Nice to meet you, Mai. Thank you guys for coming.”

“Of course,” Zuko said and Katara had to fight hard to keep up her conversation with one of Suki’s other bridesmaids and not eavesdrop. “I’ve been looking forward to this for months.”

“You remember Katara, right?” Sokka asked, looking back at her.

Knowing she had no way to avoid him now, she looked over to them forcing herself to smile.

“Yeah, of course.” Zuko’s smile faltered, being forced to look at her.

Sokka ignored this of course, but Suki narrowed her eyes at Katara, suspectful. “How could I forget? You guys spent a lot of time together when she stayed with us that one summer.” Sokka said jokingly, seemingly forgetting about Mai’s presence as he referenced exactly what Katara was trying not to think about.

“Hi, Zuko.” She said tightly, trying to keep up her friendly smile.

“Always nice to see an old  _ friend _ .” he said calmly, also seeming to forget about Mai who looked between the two of them with a tight expression. She still looked just as demure and calm as she did before, but Katara could sense that she was nearly as suspicious as Suki.

“Hope you’re having a good time.” Katara wanted to scream and run out of the room, but she refused to ruin this for her brother and Suki.

Sokka redirected the conversation back to Zuko, leaving Katara out of it and she went back to talking to the other bridesmaid, Mai leaving Zuko to converse with Ty Lee down the table. She noticed the other woman looking down at her now and then, but Katara kept her focus on her own conversation.

Eventually, Zuko went to collect Mai and go back to their table and Katara made sure not to glance in that direction for the rest of the night.

\---

When the guests had dispersed back to their rooms, Katara hung back to help clean up the decorations littered around the ballroom. Suki cornered her, eyes narrowing again.

“It was Zuko, wasn’t it?” She accused. “I never understood why you guys broke up but it was because of the baby wasn’t it?”

“Suki, where are you getting this from? We didn’t break up, we never technically started. Besides, you’re getting married tomorrow, you shouldn’t be thinking about my relationship problems right now.” Katara refused to meet her gaze and continued clearing centerpieces.

“No, I didn’t put it together before but it makes sense now. I saw the way he looked at you. It has to be him. That’s why you were so pouty earlier, too.”

“Okay, so what if it was? It was almost six years ago and I’m over it.” she protested.

“You don’t seem very over it by the way you’re acting, Katara. Why didn’t you just tell me?” Suki crossed her arms, almost looking disappointed. Katara couldn’t bear it.

“I only told you because I had to tell  _ someone _ . It’s not something I like to talk about.” Katara huffed, “It’s not a good memory.”

“I get it, but you need to talk about it. Keeping all that pain inside isn’t good either. Did he even know?”

“Of course he knew. I told him once I made up my mind about it. He didn’t try to stop me and to be honest, I didn’t want him to. I was going to leave regardless, I just did it a little sooner than planned.”

“You know that he was heartbroken for months after you left? I never knew why, it wasn’t like he said anything but I knew that it was because you took off.” Suki grabbed her hand for the second time that day and Katara forced herself to look her in the eye, “Look, Katara, I love you, you’re my sister, but I think you’ve been ignoring this for way too long. I think you need to talk to him and get some closure. If not for your sake, then for his. He could barely even look at you earlier.”

“I did talk to him. A few months ago.”

“What? What happened?”   
  


“I told him that he needed to get over it and to lose my number.”

“And why would you do that?” Suki all but yelled. Katara was glad that only a few hotel staff members were still around.

Katara felt dejected and she was done talking about it. She was ignoring it for a reason as well as the emotions that were building up inside her. “It was a mistake. We had a fling and made a mistake and I took care of it so we could continue living both of our lives. I don’t regret it and I don’t want to reminisce on what could have been with him. I don’t want to think about him at all.”

She pushed a stray tear away from her eye and walked out of the room, discarding the centerpiece she had been holding on the table and heading for the bar.

Suki called after her but she pushed on, ignoring her too.

\---

Later on after Mai had ditched him to hang out with Ty Lee, Zuko found solace at the hotel bar. However, the woman he was trying to avoid seemed to have the same idea. She came marching in and sat at the other end, immediately waving over the bartender.

He watched her order a few shots and pound them down in a rapid succession. It wasn’t until she’d finished them and looked across the bar that she noticed him. Her face contorted in anger.

And then she was marching over to him.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded sitting down in a huff next to him.

He held up his own drink, a glass of whiskey, before answering “Drinking away my sorrows. What are you doing here?”

“Same thing. Avoiding Suki.” she stated with a scowl.

“Well then, we might as well do it together.” he tipped his drink at her before taking a long sip. He watched her scoff and wave down the bartender again. This time she ordered a long island tea. He gave her a look, “What, no more shots?”

“The tea is more cost-effective. More liquor, less ordering.”

“So we meet again over tea. How metaphorical.”

“I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Alright. Why are you avoiding Suki?”

“I’m mad at her.” She said simply, taking her drink from the counter seconds after the bartender put it down, “Keep these coming.” She told him, ignoring the straw and taking a big gulp.

The bartender raised his eyebrows but nodded nonetheless.

“And why are you mad at your future sister-in-law?” he pushed, almost enjoying her anger as it was, for the most part, not directly aimed at him.

“I don’t want to talk about that either.”

“So what do you want to talk about?”

She furrowed a brow, thinking hard about his question. “I don’t know.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry if I upset you the last time we talked. I guess I was looking for closure and didn’t realize the effect it would have on you.”

“Well, now you know. And I thought I said I didn’t want to talk about it.” she downed another half of her drink. “And to be honest, I really don’t want to talk to you.”

“I didn’t angrily approach you though, did I? That was you.” he finished his drink and signaled for another.

This earned him a glare from her, but now he was upset, too. He hadn’t asked her to come over to him. He’d been doing his part, for the most part trying to ignore that she was there for most of the night. He’d been trying to forget just as much as she had been.

“I see your point. I guess I’m sorry for being so harsh last time. And now.” She paused, finishing her drink, starting to feel the buzz of the alcohol seep into her blood. “I try not to think about the whole thing, you know. It hurts. I know you think that I’m heartless and cold, but I spend every day carrying that around with me and it’s hard.”

“You think I don’t carry it with me, too? It wasn’t like you did that alone. I was there, too.”

“But I was alone.” she murmured, unable to meet his gaze.

“You didn’t have to be. I didn’t choose that part.”

She didn’t have an answer for him this time. He took a long swig, turning away from her.

“And I don’t think you’re heartless. Or cold. I think you pushed me away to protect yourself and forgot about how that would make me feel.”

“Yeah, well, I think that we can both agree that we hurt each other. Intentionally or not. I also think that dwelling on it and bringing up all this old shit is hurting us more and we should stop wallowing in regret.”

That stung more than the alcohol that burned his throat. “I don’t want to forget. I don’t regret any of the time we spent together and neither should you. It was real and it happened. It made us who we are.”

“So, what do you want to do about it?”

“I say we get stupidly drunk, force ourselves to talk about our shit and see where it takes us. After tomorrow, if you never want to talk to me again, I understand.”

“I think that would be okay.” she said, raising her drink up to clink it with his.

So they continued drinking, spending hours at the bar talking and getting to know each other again.

“So, if you hate the city so much and you hate your job, why are you still doing it?” She asked.

“Starting over would suck. And Mai likes the city and the fact that she doesn’t have to work because my job is plenty to support both of us.”

“So you’re staying in a life that you hate because it makes your girlfriend comfortable and it's easier than trying to make yourself happy. How honorable.”

He scowled, “Yeah well it beats being poor and alone in an unfamiliar place. And I do love Mai. Even if it’s not the same as it was at the beginning. I still care about her and she’s comfortable. She might not be everything that I’m looking for, but I don’t think that’s very realistic anyways. Not everyone is completely happy with every aspect of their life.”

“I think that the person you choose to be with is something that you should be completely happy with. Real love doesn’t fade away. My mom always said that.” She reached to her neck to play with the ring that hung there.

He eyed her carefully, “I thought that maybe we had that. But it’s clear that you don’t love me anymore. So apparently it does.”

She stared up at him for a moment. “I never said that.”

“What do you mean? I remember you saying something along the lines of I might’ve loved you at some point but I don’t anymore.”

“I didn’t say the last part. I said I moved on, not that I don’t love you anymore.”

“Is that not the same thing?”

He watched her finish another drink and wave off the bartender, signalling that she was done. “Look, I’m drunk and I would never say this otherwise, but there is definitely a part of me that still cares for you. Deeply. And yeah, I’d rather ignore it and try to live my own life because it’s easier, but I don’t see any point in lying to you about it.”

“Well, now I kind of wish you did.”

“And why’s that?” she was on the verge of slurring now and he couldn’t say that he was doing much better, himself.

“Because I never stopped loving you, Katara. And I don’t see any point in lying to you about that either.” Unlike the first time they kissed, she wasn’t the one pulling him down towards her. He reached out to touch her cheek, pulling her to him, kissing her gently, but fiercely. If it was the last time that they’d do this, he wanted to leave her burning. Just as she had left him all those years ago.

\---

She was surprised that she was kissing him back. In the middle of a hotel bar. A hotel where her friends and family were all staying. Where his girlfriend was staying. It felt wrong but she still couldn’t convince herself to pull away.

Him admitting that he loved her hadn’t come as a shock to her. She knew that he had to have had some lingering feelings for her to reach out to her all those months ago, but she hadn’t expected him to act on them. Not after the way she’d so coldly rejected any mention of them the last time they’d talked. 

But she also hadn’t expected to want to be kissing him now that she was.

He pulled back, looking at her with wide eyes. She stared back, not sure how to proceed. “Should we get out of the bar, maybe?” She asked quietly, noticing the stares that they’d attracted.

“I think we should.” he agreed and stood, reaching for his wallet and tossing a handful of cash onto the bartop. “Where do you want to go?”

“My room?”

He nodded and she led the way, heading to the elevator.

\---

He was afraid to try anything in the elevator for fear of stray girlfriends and wedding guests stumbling upon them, but he found himself almost desperate to kiss her again. By the time they’d arrived at her floor, he was ready to attack her. He’d almost forgotten how dizzying her presence was.

He thought back to the last night he’d spent with her, not knowing that the next day, she’d walk out of his life not to be seen for another six years.

\---

They sat on the couch, his head on her lap and her hands in his hair. Something about her had seemed off for the past few days. And while he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, he couldn’t find the words to ask her about it. 

He knew that she’d be leaving in two short weeks and he figured that was most likely what had been bothering her. Zuko was hesitant to bring it up as he wasn’t particularly looking forward to it either. He’d been trying to figure out how to keep her from disappearing, considering they hadn’t discussed their plans for what would come after. 

She hadn’t brought it up either, though, and at this point, he was afraid of her rejecting him more than anything else. So they were just Zuko and Katara, friends with benefits. After all, they’d never been on a date. At least nothing beyond netflix and chill or getting takeout together after their long days. He was a bed for her to sleep in, a guy she could fuck, and someone that she could hang out with when Sokka left her to see Suki. Nothing more.

So he didn’t say anything, just let her play with his hair while they half-watched whatever movie was on TV. In two weeks, she’d be gone and he’d be back at school and back to his usual routine. It hurt to think that she could just leave like that, but he wasn’t sure what he could say to keep her from going or to convince her to do long-distance. She’d told him about how she’d broken up with her boyfriend, Jet, before coming here because she wasn’t interested in keeping up a relationship when she’d be busy with her internship. He was just convenient.

After all, she had somewhere to be and so did he.

\---

As soon as the door to her room unlocked, he pulled her inside, pressing her against the wall and attaching his mouth to her neck. She allowed it, pulling him to her, hands running along his sides. She untucked his dress shirt from his pants, going to work on the buttons.

When she’d gotten the last one open, she pushed the sleeves away, watching the material fall to the floor. In response, he grabbed her by the waist, hooking her legs around his hips, still pushing her against the wall. She wrapped her legs around him tightly, pulling his face up from her neck to kiss him again. He groaned slightly in response, sliding his hands over any skin he could get them on.

Her dress was long with slits on both sides, the blue material silky and thin. His hand found its way into one of the slits hiking up the skirt, brushing her thigh and coming to rest under her ass. She ground her hips into him and pulled her mouth from his. “Bed.” she muttered before returning to his lips.

\---

He carried her further into the room, depositing her on the white fluffy mattress that looked identical to the one he’d woken up in this morning. With Mai.

  
She reached for his belt buckle, unwilling to give him any opportunity to get lost in his own thoughts. She was done with it quickly, moving to his pants to tug them down. He stepped out of them almost sluggishly, guilt creeping in.

“Come ‘ere.” she told him, her drunkenness slurring her words. She reached for his hand, pulling him to her again. He felt himself coming to sit next to her on the bed, her pressing kisses into his collarbone, willing him to respond to her.

He couldn’t.

“Katara, stop.” however, she continued, kisses moving lower.

“Why?” she asked against his chest.

“I can’t. I can’t do this to Mai. No matter how much I want to.” She stopped kissing and looked at him, disappointment rimming her eyes.

“I’m sorry, I have to go.” he told her, gathering his pants from the floor and hauling them back on. He grabbed his shirt from the hall a few feet away and looked back at her one more time.

“Okay, go back to your unhappy relationship, Zuko. Go be comfortable with Mai.” She spat at him, pulling her dress to cover the skin that had been exposed by him hiking it up.

“Katara, I can’t sleep with you and be with her. We’ll talk in the morning, when we’re sober.” He already felt the headache coming on.

“Whatever.” she muttered, not looking at him.

He left, shirt on his shoulders again, but unbuttoned. Heading towards the elevator, he passed Suki who seemed to be heading straight for Katara’s room.

  
“Zuko?” she asked as she approached him, obviously noticing his state of relative undress.

“Goodnight, Suki.” he said plainly, walking past her and walking into the elevator she’d just come from. He managed to slip in just before the doors closed. He wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and deal with the fallout of his actions in the morning.

However, the woman who waited for him in his room when he walked in forced him to deal with it right away.

“Where have you been?” Mai asked from the bed, obviously having been waiting for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! Feel free to leave a comment, like I said they really warm my heart, even if its just saying that you enjoyed it lol. I'm going to try to get the next chapter in as soon as I can. I'm a little busy with work this week but I should have it up by the weekend.


	3. The Wedding

Mai stared up at Zuko from her spot on the bed, legs crossed and arms folded across her chest. She was pissed and he knew he’d fucked up big time. Guilt that had already been building up in his chest increased in its weight, and he found it hard to breathe.

“Where have you been?” she repeated through tight lips, refusing to break eye contact.

He knew how guilty he looked, shirt crookedly buttoned and his belt held tightly in his fist. “I was catching up with an old friend.” he answered shakily, moving towards his angry girlfriend.

She stood up, effectively dodging him, leaving her arms crossed and refusing to let him come any closer. “And was that old friend the maid of honor? Because I saw you kissing her in the bar downstairs. Then I watched you leave with her, so stop lying to me.”

Zuko sank down onto the bed. He’d never felt worse than he did right now. Sure, he had been more than happy to engage in that kiss when it happened, but now he felt like he’d thrown away a three year relationship for a woman that he wasn’t sure even wanted to be with him.

“I’m sorry, Mai. It was a mistake and I stopped it before anything went further, I promise.”

Mai shook her head. “How could you betray me like that? I want the truth about her, Zuko. Now.”

“What do you mean? I just told you the truth. Yes, I left with her, but I realized that it was wrong and I stopped it. I left. That’s all.” he told her, voice straining with regret. 

“No, I want you to tell me why you would ever kiss her in the first place. I want to know how you know her. I knew you were lying to me earlier when I asked but I didn’t want to push it. I didn’t think I had to.” She frowned even deeper, “I never thought I’d find you kissing her.”

He hesitated, not wanting to share the secret only Katara knew. He’d never told anyone the truth about why they’d gone their separate ways. But he knew that if he wanted to leave the room without Mai killing him, he needed to explain himself. The truth wasn’t going to justify his actions, but it was better than continuing to lie to her. 

“She lived with Sokka and I for a summer, like I told you. But he was always off with Suki and she didn’t know anyone in town so we’d hang out a lot. Eventually, we started sleeping together. It was… a fling for the lack of a better word. We weren’t ever officially together or anything. I expected it to end when she left at the end of the summer. It did, but something happened before.”

He found it hard to keep going, guilt for what he’d done to Mai mixing with the guilt he felt from letting Katara walk away from him melded together. He didn’t want to cry, but he was still a little bit intoxicated and it was much harder to fight off the emotions. A few tears leaked out as he was unable to will them away.

Mai had never seen him cry before. They both weren’t ones to easily show emotion, and that was one of the things he’d found comforting in her. At least at first. His tears shocked her, and she felt herself sitting next to him on the bed. Not touching him or comforting him, because she was still absolutely furious with him, but she could see how hard it was for him to open up. She could understand that.

He wiped at his cheek roughly, continuing “She… she got pregnant. And she didn’t want to keep it. I was supportive of that because it wasn’t the right time for either of us. But, I loved her. I hadn’t told her but I did. And then she left and I never really dealt with any of it. I just kept it inside. I’ve still never told anyone about it. You’re the only one. And I’m sorry, I never wanted to hurt you.” He paused, taking a shaky breath in, “When I met you, I thought that I could move on. And I did, but then I saw her name in a newspaper article a few months back and everything came rushing back. So I asked Sokka for her number.”

Mai’s glare hardened and anger built up even more inside her despite his confession, “So you’ve been sleeping with her? For months?”

“No! No, I just met up with her to talk. And she barely even wanted to do that. I just wanted closure. I guess I got it, or at least partially. She mostly assumed that I wanted to rekindle the relationship and walked out, but that’s why I was talking to her at the bar. I think we both needed to talk about it and I ended up kissing her. And she let me.”

“So it was just a kiss?”

“Yes. I won’t lie and say that I didn’t want it to happen. I shouldn’t have let it happen, though. You don’t deserve that.” he sighed, pressing his palms to his forehead. He could feel a headache coming on, a combination of an impending hangover and guilt overwhelming him. “I’m so sorry, Mai. I understand if you want nothing to do with me. I seriously fucked up.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder. It wasn’t very warm, but for Mai, it was a big gesture. Especially because she was clearly angry with him. “I can’t say that I’m not upset. I am. But, on some level I understand. I appreciate that you told me the truth, too. Would you have told me if I hadn’t seen it?”

He thought about it for a moment before responding, “Eventually, yes. I don’t think I could’ve sat on that for long. I felt vile enough just doing it.”

“Alright, well I guess I should be honest with you, too.” She took a breath, trying to quell her anger, “I don’t think that we should be together. You broke my trust and I can’t let that go. Besides, I think that I’ve held onto this relationship for a while now because it was easy to keep pretending it was working. We both know that we haven’t been in love with each other in a long time. This seems like a good time to admit that.”

He nodded sadly, “Yeah, I didn’t see it ending like this but, you’re right. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too.” She stood, gathering her packed suitcase that sat in the corner. He’d been so drunk and shocked to see her that he hadn’t noticed it when he first stumbled into the room. “I’m going back to the apartment to get my things in order. I already booked a flight. We can sort it out when you get back.”

It hurt to know that the relationship was over. Just this morning, they had been fine. But he could also acknowledge that it needed to happen and regardless of how he’d influenced this outcome, it’d been a long time coming.

He nodded. “Okay. I can call you a cab, if you want.”

“It’s alright. I can handle it.” She turned to leave, her usual detachment showing.

He knew that he needed to do something he’d failed to do the last time a woman had walked out on him, “You know that I did love you, right? It was never fake. You’ll always be someone I care about... even if I’m not in love with you anymore.” She stopped, turning to face him.

“I know. I loved you too. Just not anymore. And that’s alright.”

Zuko watched her leave the room, the door locking tightly behind her. He laid back on the bed, hands fisted through his hair. He wasn’t used to feeling so many emotions at once, and he cried, finally letting it all out.

It was alright, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t hard to see her go.

\---

The next morning, Katara woke up to someone pounding on her door. The noise echoed in her head, setting off an intense pain centered in her forehead. Blinking her eyes open, she could see bright light streaming in through the slight crack in the curtains.

“I’m coming, hold on!” She called out, squinting her eyes shut again in pain. Katara realized shortly after that she was still wearing the dress from the rehearsal dinner the night before and knew instantly that she’d definitely blacked out. The last memory she could recall was storming over to Zuko at the bar and arguing with him. Then the drinks, and hazily, she could remember him in her room, furiously making out. Then, it was blurry.

“KATARA, if you don’t open this door in the next ten seconds I’m kicking it down!” she heard Suki yell, muffled through the thick hotel room door. She shot out of the bed, pushing the foggy memories aside and opened the door to a very disgruntled bride.

“Thank you! Listen, we need to talk. But, you also need to help me get ready, so get changed and meet me in my room ASAP.” Before Katara could process any of that, Suki was storming off down the hall.

She shook her head with a sigh, deciding that a quick shower would help wake her up and soothe her pounding headache.

Katara knew Suki was probably upset about their fight the night before, and for that she felt terrible. She didn’t exactly want to start out their relationship as sisters-in-law with an unresolved argument, so time was of the essence if she was going to be able to apologize for it.

\---

Zuko found himself in a similar excruciating position, with a lot less memory loss. He woke up at dawn nearly every day, and no hangover would upset his insanely accurate internal clock. He reached to his side, almost expecting Mai to be lying there. But she wasn’t and he was reminded of the entirety of what happened the night before.

He felt like a rotting sack of shit and knew he was in desperate need of a shower and some aspirin. Zuko peeled himself off of the sheets, sitting up slowly. 

Not only had he been absolutely dumped on his ass, for good reason, but he had almost had sex with Katara. And then promptly run into Suki while half-dressed and basically running out of Katara’s hotel room. Of course, she probably thought he was a shitbag for cheating on the plus one she’d so kindly allowed him to bring to her wedding, but on top of that he did it with her maid of honor. He’d fucked up really good this time and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to face everyone in just a few hours.

Now he had to go to said wedding, deal with the wrath Katara would surely be throwing his way the entire time, and on top of that he was dateless because he had cheated on his date. Zuko was convinced that his terrible drunken decisions had ruined the entire event and no one would ever forgive him for the drama he’d caused in a single night. 

So, naturally, he got up and got ready for the shit storm he was surely headed into.

\---

She arrived at Suki’s room in a record 20 minutes, rapping on the door. She had already planned out an apology and was ready to deliver it.

The door swung open and Suki all but pulled her in the room. “You have some explaining to do.” she said, sitting down at the makeshift vanity that had been set up at the desk. “But, we don’t have a ton of time, so get going on making me look pretty, please.”

Katara did as she was told, grabbing a brush from the desk, “I’m really sorry for getting upset with you last night. I know you were just trying to talk some sense into me and it wasn’t the time or place to freak out at you. And you were right. Talking to Zuko was a good thing.”

“Well, thank you and I’m glad, but that doesn’t explain what I saw walking out of your room last night.”

Katara’s eyes widened, “What did you see?”

Suki turned around to look at her, “I saw a half-naked Zuko practically running to the elevator. Care to explain?”

“I- I don’t exactly remember to be honest with you.” she muttered trying to focus on Suki’s hair. “After our argument I ended up running into him at the bar and I think we talked a little bit, it gets hazy around there, but it must have gone pretty well. I sort of remember him pushing me up against a wall…”

Suki frowned, “Katara! You guys fucked? He has a girlfriend, that’s just wrong!”

Katara furrowed a brow, trying to think, “I don’t know, we might have but I don’t really remember all of it. And why is that my problem? I didn’t force him to make out with me.” she huffed.

“Well, I don’t know he shouldn’t have! You really don’t know?”

“I blacked out! I don’t know, I was pretty dead set on never talking to him again less than a day ago so he must have done something right. I remember bits and pieces, just not the whole thing.” she replied sheepishly, tugging on a few knotted strands.

“Well shit, Katara. Do you think Mai found out? I was with her and Ty Lee in the lobby right before I ran into Zuko. She had to have been awake when he came back.”

She grimaced, “God, I hope not. I don’t know her, but I’d feel terrible if they broke up over me. I don’t even know how I feel about him.”

“Well, this is a mess. At least we’ll have a fun story to tell our grandchildren about today. Oh, yeah the night before our wedding Aunt Katara got drunk and fucked her ex boyfriend! It was incredibly awkward for everyone involved and it might have ruined a relationship in the process.”

“Hey, we don’t know that. There’s a good chance we might not have even done anything if he was running out of the room. I still had my dress on when I woke up, too, so unless I managed to get it back on and zipped up on my own after he left, I doubt we did more than just make out.”

“That’s promising at least.” Suki muttered, wincing as Katara dragged the brush through a particularly tangled section. “So, if they did break up and he’s not totally wrecked about it, maybe you guys have a chance!”

“I don’t know, even if I was potentially interested in that when I was drunk, I don’t know if I am now. I mean, what do we really have except for a terrible shared experience and regrets?”

“Shared trauma is easy to bond over. Besides, you spent all these years trying to avoid it, why not share the burden with someone who understands better than anyone else could?”

Katara shrugged trying not to think about how much sense that made, “I guess.”

“And he obviously still cares about you enough to risk his relationship for a chance to kiss you. I remember how you guys were that summer. It was like you were attached by the hip. You might not remember it in the same way after everything that happened, but I remember how happy he made you.”

“I… I just don’t know, Suki. I don’t know if we could get back to that point.” She sighed, “He told me that he was thinking about what it’d be like if we kept the baby and stayed together and I shut down. I might have wanted it in the back of my mind, but it wasn’t right, then. I couldn’t risk everything for him then and I don’t think I can live up to that now. I don’t want to be with him if he’s going to be stuck in a fantasy land. I’m not a 20 year old girl who liked to screw around with my brother’s roommate anymore. And that girl definitely wasn’t ready to be a mother. What if he doesn’t like who I am now?”

“I get that, but maybe you should let him get to know 26 year old Katara. The cool cancer-fighting bad ass doctor Katara that I know. I liked you when you were that girl and I still like you now.” Suki said gently, turning to look her in the eye, “You’re not as different as you might think you are. You’re still you.”

Katara nodded, feeling overwhelmed, but comforted all the same, “Okay. I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all I can ask of you.” The other girl smiled, “Now that we figured out your baby daddy drama, let’s get back to making me pretty so I can marry the shit out of your brother.”

“I can do that.” Katara laughed, wiping a stray tear from her cheek.

\---

Once she and Suki had been officially done up, she was ushered off to find Zuko. Suki would be needing her back soon to help put on the complicated dress she was supposed to be wearing, but she had enough time to find Zuko and talk to him.

Katara found herself walking to Zuko’s room and knocking quietly on his door. She considered running when she heard footsteps coming towards the door, but by the time she had started to move, she could hear the metal lock clinking and watched the door swing open.

He stood there, dress shirt half tucked into his pants, and shocked to see her.

“Katara? What are you doing here?”

Now that she was here, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to say, “Uh, I kinda blacked out last night and I was hoping you could remind me what happened? Is your, um, girlfriend here?”

A look of distress crossed his face and he hesitated before replying, “No, we… well we broke up actually. She left late last night.”

“Shit, Zuko, I’m sorry. Are you okay?” She felt like a complete asshole. It had to have been her fault. She knew it was a bad idea to come here. It was a bad idea to get drunk and it was a bad idea to have kissed him.

He just shrugged, his face sad, but not distraught. “Better than I thought I’d be. Do you want to come in?”

She nodded, taking in his words. He opened the door wider, moving to give her space to enter.

He sat on the bed and gestured for her to sit.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I don’t want to bother you, I just- at least from what I remember of last night, I thought it’d be a good idea to talk.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m glad you came, actually. I wasn’t sure if I’d get a chance to talk to you with everything going on. How much do you remember exactly?”

She had remembered more of their conversation as the morning went on, but she figured it’d be a good idea to get a recap of his perspective, just in case. “Besides finding you at the bar, talking, and a little bit of you in my room later on, there’s not much.”

“Alright, maybe I’ll just start at the beginning, then. I was sitting at the bar and saw you storm in. You told me that you were upset with Suki but didn’t want to talk about it, we got pretty drunk and said some mean shit back and forth for a bit, and then you might have apologized for being mean, I might have apologized back. You said you still cared about me and… I might’ve said it back.” He stopped there, almost looking sheepish.

A memory hit her then, and she realized that they’d both basically confessed their love for each other before furiously making out in the bar. It was way worse than she thought. “Oh god,” she blurted, “we basically made out in the bar. I remember now.” She felt heat creep into her cheeks and regretted her prior drunkenness for what seemed like the millionth time so far that day. “Then we went to my room and you left because of Mai. Oh my god, I’m so sorry. Did she find out?”

Zuko looked equally upset, “Yeah, she apparently saw us at the bar. I didn’t find that out until after I left your room, though. I… explained what happened as soon as I got back. She broke up with me, but she took the whole thing better than I thought she would. She definitely wasn’t happy with me by any means and I still feel like a shit bag, but I think it was good for both of us ultimately. I mean, it’s sad to see her go, but talking to you last night made me realize that we weren’t right for each other. I think she knew that, too.”

Katara just sat there, stunned, “Well shit.”

“Yeah. It’s a little rough, but I almost feel good about the direction my life is going again. Regardless of how things end up between you and me. I think I needed to start over.”

“About that, I had a talk with Suki this morning and she convinced me to come here in the first place. So that we could sort out our issues.” Katara said, suddenly even more nervous than she was before.

He looked mortified. “Oh, right, Suki. She definitely saw me leaving your room last night, did she bring it up?”

“Yes. But, it’s fine. We talked a lot this morning and she helped me realize that I might have judged you too quick. To be honest, I was, uh, worried that you might have been so caught up in our past that you wouldn’t want to be with me now. And I was mean and cold because I was trying to defend myself from getting hurt again.” She paused, gathering up the strength to continue, tears starting to spring in her eyes, “And I forgot to remember that you lost that baby, too. I don’t think I ever really stopped to think that maybe you were feeling the same way I was.”

He looked at her with the softest expression she’d even seen on his face, staring gratefully into her eyes, “Thank you, Katara. I’m sorry that I ever made you think that you needed to do any of that alone.” He reached out for her hand, “And I’d really like the chance to get to know you again. If you want me to.”

“I’d like that, Zuko.” She squeezed his hand in hers, “Do you want to be my date to this wedding?”

He smiled, “Yeah, I would.”

She stood, letting his hand go, “I’ll see you after the ceremony, then. I gotta go finish getting dressed with Suki.”

Katara turned to leave but he stood, grabbing her hand again and turning her around. She met his gaze, his golden eyes beaming into hers. He pulled her closer to him and wrapped her into a simple hug. When the initial shock of being enclosed in his arms wore off, she put her arms around him, holding him close in response. It was warm and it felt safe.

But then he was letting go and she knew she didn’t have much time until she was needed. “See you later.” he told her quietly, letting her leave.

And everything felt okay. She was okay, for the first time in years.

\---

Zuko sat in the gardens with the other guests, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

He sat next to an old woman who was chatting to him incessantly about the couple. He wasn’t sure what her relation to Sokka was exactly, but she would not shut up about how cute he had been as a little boy. She gestured to him, standing up at the altar.

“I just can’t believe he’s getting married. I remember when I used to watch him and his sister after their mother passed. They were so close, even for siblings. I’ll never forget the day that he nearly drowned in the creek next to my house. She brought him back inside screaming her little head off about how she’d saved him. Pulled him out of the water herself. Even though he was older, she always acted like his little protector. Now they’re both so grown up! I wonder when she’ll settle down? She always had the boys following her around, I can’t believe she didn’t bring a date to her brother’s wedding-”

He interrupted her then, “Actually, I’m her date.”

“Oh, really? I always knew she’d find a wonderful man. How long have you two been together?” the woman asked, desperate for gossip.

“Not too long.” he replied, not wanting to break the woman’s spirit too much. They were in no way actually together, but he could pretend at least for now. A little white lie wouldn’t hurt her.

“I can see you two being very happy together. You seem very kind, especially for putting up with my rambling.” she gave him a pat on the shoulder, a grin spreading across her wrinkled face.

He returned the smile, shaking his head, “You remind me a bit of my uncle. He likes to talk a lot, too.”

The woman nodded, “Always appreciate your elders, boy. You never know how long we’ll be around to berate you young kids.”

Before he could reply, music began to play and everyone turned their attention behind them. Zuko watched as the wedding party began walking down the aisle. He saw Ty Lee walk in with a groomsman, earning a glare from her as she walked by him. He figured that he deserved that. They reached the altar, separating to their respective sides.

The woman nudged him, “She doesn’t seem to like you much.”

“No, she doesn’t.” he muttered, feeling guilty all over again.

Once the procession was starting to reach its end, he watched Katara walk down, her arm linked with a bald man he remembered seeing next to Sokka the night before. She smiled softly at him as she passed. He thought she looked beautiful in her earthy green dress. It suited her tan skin wonderfully, and he couldn’t tear his eyes from her.

“She looks beautiful.”

“Yeah, she does.”

Suki emerged finally, and he turned to study his old friend’s reaction. Sokka’s grinned, watching her walk towards him with tears springing to his eyes. Zuko knew he’d cry, but couldn’t really blame him. Suki looked beautiful and he’d been around them long enough when they were younger to know that the love they had for each other was strong. He was glad that he could sit there to witness something so beautiful.

The ceremony went without a flaw, and Zuko found himself focusing on Katara for most of it regardless.

\---

Katara managed to convince Suki to move Zuko to the head table after their talk this morning and was happy to finally meet up with him for the reception. She’d caught him staring at her throughout the ceremony and felt her cheeks heat up under his glare.

“You look beautiful.” he said, taking the seat next to her.

She smiled, “You don’t look so bad, yourself. So, how was sitting next to my great aunt Wu?”

“Oh, so that’s who she is. She was talking my ear off about you and Sokka.”

Katara sighed, “Great, what terrible stories did she tell you?”

He chuckled in response, “Nothing too terrible, something about Sokka falling into a creek. She might have assumed that we were together, though.”

Katara’s eyes went wide, “Oh, no.”

“What?”

“She’s going to tell every single person here! How did she even assume that?”

“I just told her that I was your date! She jumped to conclusions.”

“Great. Well, you better be prepared to be bombarded by at least half of my family. I’m surprised she hasn’t tried to corner me yet. She’s always going on about finding me a husband and making predictions about my future.” She put her hands up to mimic air quotes, “‘He’ll be a very successful person, Katara. I’d expect nothing less for you, my child.’ blah blah blah. It’s all I hear at any family gathering we have.”

Zuko frowned, “She’s not that bad. I thought she was pretty nice, actually.”

She folded her hands across her chest, “Zuko, she’s the worst! Whatever, what’s done is done. Now we have to come up with a cover story.”

“What do you mean?”

“We have to figure out what to tell people once she starts spreading the lies. How long did you tell her we’ve been dating?”

“I just said ‘not long.’” 

“Okay, so like, three months then. Where did we meet?”

“Why can’t that all stay the same? We met years ago when you stayed with Sokka and I for the summer. We… reconnected a few months ago and started dating. There, solved.”

“Fine. I guess that works.”

\---

Soon enough, Aunt Wu approached with Katara’s Gran-Gran in tow. Katara tensed immediately, Zuko just smiled at her.

“Here are the lovebirds! Young lady, you should introduce your boyfriend to Kanna. I can’t believe you didn’t tell her!”

Katara just gaped at the woman, trying desperately to regain her composure. Suki, overhearing, shot Katara a pointed look. Zuko spoke instead, “Hi, I’m Zuko. Nice to meet you.”

He held his hand out to her and she took it gratefully. “Katara was never one to talk openly about her love life. It is nice to meet you as well, Zuko.”

Katara finally spoke up, “Yes, well there was never much to talk about. We’ve only been um… dating for a few months now.” She blushed uncharacteristically and Zuko couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “Uh, Zuko this is my Gran-Gran.”

Aunt Wu beamed at Zuko, “He’s such a lovely man. We had a very pleasant conversation before the ceremony.”

“Yes, he’s very… lovely.” Katara grumbled, uncomfortable. Zuko tried hard to stifle a laugh.  
“Well, I’m happy for you, child. Aunt Wu and I will leave you two alone. I still need to talk to your brother.”

Katara just nodded. As soon as the two started towards Sokka and Suki, Zuko let out a laugh. “I have never seen you so uncomfortable! Your Gran-Gran seemed to take it well.”

She glared at him, “I don’t exactly enjoy lying to my family!” she practically whisper-yelled.

“It’s a little white lie. You can tell them that we broke up after the wedding if it bothers you so much.”

“It’s still lying.”

“I’m sorry, Katara. I should have corrected her assumption. Can we at least just try to have fun with it?”

She huffed, “Fine.”

\---

After being introduced to at least 10 family members, Zuko was starting to understand the gravity of his mistake. “How many more people am I going to have to meet? This is exhausting.”

“It’s your own fault! You’ve barely gotten through my father’s side of the family at this point.”

Zuko sighed, putting his head down on the table. Just then, Sokka crossed the room, heading straight for them.

“Heads up, I think Sokka knows.”

“Ugh, I’ve already had to go through this the last time we were together.”

“Suck it up, buttercup.”

Sokka approached almost stomping, staring straight at Zuko, “You’re dating my sister? Again? I thought that you two hated each other? Why did you bring Mai here? None of this makes any sense!”

Zuko froze. He’d forgotten all about the previous night and his former plus-one. Luckily, Katara jumped in.

“Sokka, we aren’t actually together. Aunt Wu sat next to Zuko at the ceremony. She might have assumed some things that weren’t necessarily true.” She couldn’t lie to her brother, not on his wedding day.

“Oh, makes sense. But how would she assume that? And where’s Mai?”

She guessed she could stretch the truth a little, though. “She had a… family emergency. Had to leave early. I told Zuko he could be my date.” Katara shot out quickly before Zuko could get a word in. He shot her a look.

“Aunt Wu assumed that because I was her date that we were… together.” Zuko explained.

“Interesting. Anyway, I’m glad that you guys are friendly again. I never really understood why you broke up in the first place.”

The two looked at each other uncomfortably. Zuko spoke, “It’s complicated.”

Sokka nodded, “Sure is. I won’t spill your secret because it's fun watching you both struggle, so have fun. The open bar is supposed to start up again in a few minutes and I’m sure both of you need a drink.”

“You’re not wrong.” Katara muttered. Sokka turned to go back to Suki who stood a few tables away. She shot Katara a look that screamed, “I’m not telling, but get your shit together”. Katara rolled her eyes.

Then, another family member approached them. Sighing with exasperation, Zuko took her hand giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I’m definitely fake breaking up with you when this is over.” she joked.

“I understand completely.”

\---

A crowd began to form around the dance floor as Sokka and Suki began their first dance. Katara and Zuko hung around the side, watching.

“I’m really happy for them.” she said, not taking her eyes off of the couple.

“Me too. I always thought they’d end up together, even when we were younger.”

Katara smiled warmly, “I always hoped. After Sokka’s first girlfriend passed away I was so worried for him. I’m just glad that he found Suki after that.”

“Oh, right. He mentioned her to me once. Can’t say that I had the best advice.”

She chuckled, “I could only imagine how that conversation went.”

“Not well.” Zuko watched as other guests made their way to the dance floor to join Sokka and Suki. “Do you want to dance?”

She considered saying no, she didn’t want to make the rumors any worse, but she really had no good reason to decline. “Why not?”

He held out his hand to her and led her to the dance floor. They assumed a light stance, her arm resting gently on his shoulder and his hand sitting innocently just above her hip. They moved slowly to the music, studying the other couples that had had the same idea.

“You know what’s hilarious?” Katara asked as they swayed together.

“What?”

“This is technically our first date.”

Zuko pulled away from her slightly, “That can’t be right. We definitely did something that would qualify as a date.”

“Nope. Unless you count eating takeout on a couch a date.”

He pursed his lips, “I guess not. We did meet up for coffee a few times, though.”

“Okay, sure, but those weren’t dates.”

“Fine, I guess you’re right.”

She just smiled, “I always am.”

He shook his head, twirling her around “I wouldn’t go that far.”

The music changed, an upbeat fast song replacing the slow ballad. They broke apart, Katara laughing.

\---

After a long night of being endlessly paraded around to any relative Aunt Wu could possibly show them off to, Zuko and Katara found themselves at the bar ordering another round of drinks.

“Thank god for open bars!” She basically screamed, pounding back a shot.

Zuko took his, wincing at the taste of the cheap whiskey. “Maybe we’ve had enough for tonight.”

She frowned playfully, a little bit tipsier than she had any right to be after the hangover she woke up with. “You cutting me off?”

“Maybe I am.” he chuckled. She just glared at him.

“Come on, it's a wedding. We’re supposed to get drunk! Anyway, how else are we going to end up sleeping together later?”

His eyes widened, he might have been a little too drunk himself, but it didn’t save him from the shock that accompanied her words, “Who said we were going to sleep together?”

“Sorry. I probably shouldn’t have said that.” She pouted looking uncharacteristically childish.

“Yeah, you really shouldn’t have.” He put the shot glass down on the bartop harshly and walked away. She stared after him, watching him leave the ballroom.

\--- 

Zuko found himself on the patio, looking out at a group of mountains half-hidden by fog. He was practically fuming, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why what she’d said bothered him. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to sleep with her, of course he did. His actions from the night before made it hard for him to deny that in any capacity. But for her to joke about it, especially the implication of it, sparked a deep anger in him.

Maybe it was his insecurities about their newfound friendship, or the lightness in which she joked about having to be drunk to have sex with him. Either way, it only helped him feel more like a trash bag than he did that morning when he woke up alone. 

They might have been pretending to be together all night, but in reality, they were still basically strangers again. Sure, there was history there, but it had been a while. They were both different people now. He couldn’t shake the feeling, standing out on the patio in the open air, that maybe the Katara he knew that summer wasn’t fully there anymore. Zuko knew that he was no longer his 22 year old self either.

At the same time, he knew that was what she was scared of. He had vowed to get to know the version of Katara that had replaced the old one and maybe he shouldn’t have brushed her off over a drunken joke. 

He thought about the Katara he used to know and realized that she was still in there. He could see her in her hushed whispers and the sparkle of hope in her eyes. That Katara had been masked by the fierce protection she had reverted to previously.

He heard the patio door creak open and he turned to see Katara standing there, face serious and a bit more sobered than it had been when he’d left her at the bar. She stepped towards him carefully, like she was frightened of his response to her presence.

“Look, Zuko, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said at all. I should’ve never said it.” She was basically whispering, and he couldn’t believe how much it reminded him of the Katara he had known before. The shy and compassionate Katara who always made him kill the spiders and went into panic mode when he’d accidentally cut himself on a broken piece of glass.

It was the same Katara that had pulled her brother from a creek, that had insisted on staying on the couch even when a bed was offered to her, and it was the Katara who had dedicated her life to fighting against the disease that had taken her mother from her so young. It was the Katara that he had fallen in love with six years ago and he couldn’t stay mad at her.

“It’s okay. I overreacted.” He took a step closer to her, unable to pull his gaze away from her sad blue eyes.

“No, I- everything I say to you keeps coming out so abrasive and I don’t even mean it! And even when I shit on you for being nothing but nice to me, you still look at me like I can’t do any wrong. But I am wrong, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to forgive me every time I hurt you. Because I’m constantly hurting you. And I’m sorry.” 

“Katara, really, it was a joke. I was upset, but it’s okay. We’re both a little drunk and I overreacted a little.” He reached for her hand, dangling by her side. “We’ve got some shit to work through, but I think I realized something important.”

She met his eyes then, and he saw clearly the sparkle of hope that always lingered there, “What’s that?”

“You’re still in there. The Katara I loved. You’re a little bit different now, but so am I. We grew up, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t know each other anymore. I still remember what makes you you. And I know that you can be wrong sometimes. I forgive you because I know that you deserve it.” That in itself, he realized, was a lot to own up to. He had blamed her for taking away his happiness for years, and now he realized that not all of that blame rested on her.

She stayed silent, but squeezed his hand in hers, her eyes bearing into his. She broke the contact after a few moments and rested her head on his shoulder. “Thank you. I think I forgive you, too.”

His hand rested on her back, pulling her closer to him. They stood there for a few moments simply embracing. He pulled back slightly to tip her chin up to meet his gaze, leaning down to kiss her properly.

Their lips met and it was nothing like the messy and furious kiss they had shared the night before. It was gentle and forgiving, not focused so much on physical attraction, but mutual understanding. And as she laced her fingers around his neck, he felt like he had finally come home.

\---

Suki watched Katara follow Zuko out of the ballroom and knew that some shit was going down. She grabbed Sokka roughly by the hand, pulling him away from the elderly family member he was currently talking to. She had to see how this played out, and couldn’t help bringing her husband along for the adventure.

“Where are we going? I was talking to Grandpak- I mean Pakku. I think we were really getting somewhere!” Sokka exclaimed, following Suki out of the ballroom as she shushed him.

“We’re going to spy on your sister.”

“Eh, okay. Sounds good to me.”

She spotted Katara walking out to the patio access door and smiled devilishly. She was glad that her new sister-in-law had worked out her issues with Zuko, however it seemed like she had gotten herself in even more shit than she had been in less than 24 hours ago. Whatever happened, at least she would be there if it went badly.

The two peered through the window, watching Katara approach Zuko cautiously. Suki could tell already that whatever had upset him was no longer an issue. She had seen him angry plenty of times in the years that he’d lived with Sokka, and he seemed far too relaxed to be genuinely upset with Katara.

“So, what exactly is happening? I’m still very lost.” Sokka asked a bit too loudly.

“Shhhh! How many times have we talked about being stealthy?” She whisper-screamed at him. “They’re either going to fight or make up and I want to see what happens.”

Sokka furrowed his brows in confusion, “I still don’t understand what’s going on with them. And I feel like he was definitely lying to me about Mai.” he paused momentarily, considering the facts in front of him, “WAIT, did they… hook up last night? Is that why Mai left?”

“Not entirely, it’s a long story. Shut up and watch.” Suki swatted his arm playfully, turning her attention back to the couple on the patio who were now embracing. She smiled, “See, they’re definitely going to make up.”

“Suki if something important happened you’d tell me, right?”

“Of course, babe.”

“Wait, are they… hugging? This doesn’t make any sense.”

Suki ignored him, watching as Zuko brought Katara’s face to his. “No, they can’t kiss. Katara doesn’t even like Zuko! After they broke up the first time all I heard for months was how much she wished she’d never met him!”

Suki smiled even wider, her work was done and her meddling had paid off. Her sister-in-law could finally move on from her baggage and maybe find some happiness in doing so. She couldn’t be prouder.

“I seem to recall feeling similarly about you when I first met you. You were a sexist jerk if I remember correctly.”

“Hey, I’ve changed. And that still doesn’t explain why you dragged me away from our wedding to watch my sister make out with her ex!”

“Sokka, just be happy for her. This is a good thing. We can go back now if you want. I think we have more guests to mingle with.”

“Ugh, okay fine. I want a better explanation tomorrow.”

Suki just shook her head and grabbed his hand, guiding him back towards the ballroom, “All in good time, my dear husband. All in good time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! July was pretty hectic for me. This chapter has been in progess for what seems like forever and I keep changing it and tweaking it lol. I think that this is the final chapter. I never expected to write so much for this fic or even go past the first chapter, but it spiralled a little out of control. This chapter, especially, ended up being way longer than I planned and a little more detailed than I meant it to be. Whoops lol  
> I really sincerely want to thank everyone who’s commented and read this/left kudos, it means the world to me. I’m a 22 year old Creative Writing major that gets my work critiqued all the time and I’ve never felt more validated in my writing than I have with the comments on this fic lmao… so thank you :) Also, It’s been nice writing in prose again. I've been mostly focusing on screenwriting and poetry for the past few years and I was worried I lost my touch for fiction writing. Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy the end to this fic :))))
> 
> P.S. please give the song a listen, the artist reminds me a lot of Elliot Smith and his music is so beautiful and detailed. The lyrics legit speak to me in a way that I haven’t felt in a long time so if u like kinda sad folky music you might just love Christian Lee Hutson! (Also his first album was just released and every song is just as good as Lose This Number, i highly recommend Northsiders and Get the Old Band Back Together...)

**Author's Note:**

> I might eventually do another chapter to this with Sokka and Suki’s wedding just for shits and gigs but who knows if I’ll actually follow through lmao
> 
> Anyway the song is Lose This Number by Christian Lee Hutson and I highly recommend checking him out! The song is so sad but so good.


End file.
